1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to towing connectors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a towing connector for electrically coupling any towed vehicle""s wiring with a towing vehicle""s wiring.
2. Description of Prior Art
Towing connectors are commonly used to connect wiring of towed vehicles with wiring of towing vehicles. Unfortunately, wiring inside these connectors may have different electrical arrangements depending upon, among other things characteristics of the towed vehicles and the towing vehicles. Two of the most common electrical arrangements, pass-thru and cross-over, are very similar, differing in that two wires are electrically crossed in a cross-over type electrical arrangement.
Approximately 50% of vehicles use a pass-thru type electrical arrangement and approximately 50% use a cross-over type electrical arrangement. Therefore, retailers are often required to stock even numbers of connectors having each electrical arrangement. Additionally, consumers are required to know which electrical arrangement they need.
If a consumer purchases a connector with an incorrect electrical arrangement, they must disassemble and re-wire the connector. Doing so, requires the use of tools and is often extremely confusing and difficult for consumers to accomplish.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved towing connector that overcomes the limitations of the prior art.
The present invention overcomes the above-identified problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of towing connector for electrically coupling any towed vehicle""s wiring with a towing vehicle""s wiring. The connector broadly comprises a housing, a first receptacle mounted within a first portion of the housing for electrically coupling with the wiring of the towing vehicle, a second receptacle mounted within a second portion of the housing for electrically coupling with the wiring of the towed vehicle, and a plurality of wires electrically coupling the first receptacle with the second receptacle.
In order to make the wiring of the towed vehicle compatible with the wiring of the towing vehicle, the wires must be arranged in a specific electrical arrangement. The arrangement defines the manner in which signals are transmitted from the wiring of the towing vehicle to the wiring of the towed vehicle through the connector. Thus, the arrangement is dependant upon specific characteristics of the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle. Therefore, in order for the connector to be operable with different towed vehicles, the arrangement may need to be modified.
In a first instance, each of the wires preferably electrically couple each terminal of the first receptacle with a corresponding terminal of the second receptacle. For example, a first terminal of the first receptacle is preferably electrically coupled with a first terminal of the second receptacle. Additionally, a second terminal of the first receptacle is preferably electrically coupled with a second terminal of the second receptacle. Furthermore, a third terminal, a forth terminal, a fifth terminal, and a sixth terminal of the first receptacle are preferably individually electrically coupled with a third terminal, a forth terminal, a fifth terminal, and a sixth terminal of the second receptacle. In this manner, the connector operates as a pass-thru type connector.
In a second instance, the first terminal of the first receptacle is preferably electrically coupled with the second terminal of the second receptacle. Additionally, the second terminal of the first receptacle is preferably electrically coupled with the first terminal of the second receptacle. The remaining terminals of the first receptacle are preferably electrically coupled to the remaining terminals of the second receptacle as described for the first instance above. In this manner, the connector operates as a cross-over type connector, with the first and second terminals of the first receptacle electrically crossed with the first and second terminals of the second receptacle.
The connector of the present invention can operate as either the pass-thru type connector or the cross-over type connector described above using a mechanism that modifies the electrical arrangement of two or more of the wires. In a first embodiment of the connector, the mechanism preferably comprises a plug removably mounted within the housing and a mount fixedly mounted within the housing. A first terminal of the plug is preferably electrically coupled to the first terminal of the first receptacle through a first wire. A second terminal of the plug is preferably electrically coupled to the second terminal of the first receptacle through a second wire. A first terminal of the mount is preferably electrically coupled to the first terminal of the second receptacle through a third wire. A second terminal of the mount is preferably electrically coupled to the second terminal of the second receptacle through a fourth wire. The third terminal, the forth terminal, the fifth terminal, and the sixth terminal of the first receptacle are preferably individually electrically coupled with the third terminal, the forth terminal, the fifth terminal, and the sixth terminal of the second receptacle through a fifth wire, a sixth wire, a seventh wire, and an eighth wire, respectively.
The plug is preferably designed to be received within the housing in either one of two orientations, with the orientations being approximately 180 degrees apart. Additionally, the terminals of the plug are preferably designed to engage the terminals of the mount in either one of the two orientations. Thus, the plug may be removed, rotated 180 degrees and reinserted within the housing. This allows a user to change the electrical arrangement of the wires from the first instance to the second instance described above, by operating the mechanism.
When the plug is inserted into the housing in a first orientation, the first terminal of the first receptacle is electrically coupled to the first terminal of the second receptacle, through the first wire, the first terminal of the plug, the first terminal of the mount, and the third wire. Additionally, the second terminal of the first receptacle is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the second receptacle, through the second wire, the second terminal of the plug, the second terminal of the mount, and the fourth wire. In this case, the electrical arrangement corresponds to the first instance, with the connector operating as the pass-thru type connector.
When the plug is inserted into the housing in a second orientation, the first terminal of the first receptacle is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the second receptacle, through the first wire, the first terminal of the plug, the second terminal of the mount, and the fourth wire. Additionally, the second terminal of the first receptacle is electrically coupled to the first terminal of the second receptacle, through the second wire, the second terminal of the plug, the first terminal of the mount, and the third wire. In this case, the electrical arrangement corresponds to the second instance, with the connector operating as the cross-over type connector.
In use, the user physically joins the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle and physically mates the connector with a receiver electrically coupled with the wiring of the towed vehicle. In this manner, components of the towed vehicle can receive the signals from the wiring of the towing vehicle through the connector. If the components of the towed vehicle do not operate properly, the user may remove and rotate the plug approximately 180 degrees. The user then reinserts the plug into the housing. In this manner, the user can change the electrical arrangement between the first instance and the second instance described above.
A mechanism of a second embodiment of the connector comprises a double-pole double-throw (DPDT) switch disposed within the housing. A first center terminal of the switch is preferably electrically coupled with the first terminal of the first receptacle and a second center terminal of the switch is preferably electrically coupled with the second terminal of the first receptacle. A first pair of side terminals of the switch are preferably individually electrically coupled with the first terminal and the second terminal of the second receptacle. A second pair of side terminals of the switch are preferably individually electrically coupled with the first terminal and the second terminal of the second receptacle, in a manner opposite the first pair of side terminals of the switch. Thus, the first pair of side terminals and the second pair of side terminals are essentially electrically crossed. Therefore, by selecting either a first position or a second position of the switch, the user is able to select the first instance or the second instance of the electrical arrangement of the connector.
In use, the user physically joins the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle and physically mates the connector with the receiver electrically coupled with the wiring of the towing vehicle. In this manner, the components of the towed vehicle can receive the signals from the wiring of the towing vehicle through the connector. If the components of the towed vehicle do not operate properly, the user may actuate the switch between the first position and the second position. In this manner, the user can change the electrical arrangement between the first instance and the second instance described above.
It should be apparent that the user may effectively re-wire the connector, in a reversible fashion, without having to disassemble the housing and without the use of tools. By rewiring the connector, in this manner, the user is able to ensure that the wiring of the towing vehicle can easily be made compatible with the wiring of any towed vehicle.